Apparatus for casting concrete walls



C. TYROLER APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRETE WALLS July 26, 1949.

Filed Sept. 26, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

R E lor R I s E L R A H C A TT'ORNEY July 26,1949 c. TYROLER APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRETE WALLS 4 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1945 INVENTOR.

CHARLES TYROLER NEY ATTOR July 26, 1949. I c. TYROLE'R Filed Sept. 26, 1946 FIG. 5

APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRETE WALLS 4 Sheets-$heet 5 5 5 25 FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

CHARLES TYROLER 4 ATTORNEY July 26, 1949. 'c. TYROLER 2,477,320

APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRETE WALLS FiledSept. 26, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. CHARLES TYROLER I 1' ATTORNEY Patented July 26,1949

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRETE WALLS Charles Tyroler, Tuckahoe, N. Y.

Application September 26, 1946, Serial No. 699,365

11 Claims. (Cl. 25-1) This invention relates to apparatus for casting concrete structures, and is more particularly. directed to the casting of concrete walls.

In the artof concrete building, it is found advantageous to cast walls in a horizontal position and then to swing the same to a vertical position in their proper place in the building or structure to which they appertain. By so doing, all the advantageous features of horizontal castingare made available in the construction of walls, and said features include for instance simplicity of operation, economyinthe forms or molds, accessibility of one. face of-the wall as an open face during the casting for handfinishing in the manner desired, and ease inplacing within the form rods, stirrups, ties, nailing strips, and any other elements that it is desired to position therein. However, the horizontal casting of concrete walls presents difficulty of its own, as it is easily understood when it is considered that a concrete wall is an object of great size and weight, that it must bemoved with care lest it become cracked, chipped or damaged, that its motion must be kept under strict control, and that in its rotation from the horizontal to the vertical position and vice versa it sweeps a great volume of space, while the clear space available on the job is often severely limited. Further r it must be kept in mind that for economical reasons any casting method and apparatus cannot be excessively complicated or involve the use of expensive, non-reusable or easily. damaged structures, or require too much time and labor to apply.

All apparatus of the prior art fail to overcome some or all of the difiiculties above set forth. Accordingly, my present invention represents a novel and valuable contribution to the art inasmuch as it obviates all the shortcomings hitherto existing therein, and provides a method and apparatus which are of a simplicity, economy, and etficiency hitherto unattained. In describing my invention, I will particularly illustrate its application to atype of wall which is part of a building structure described and claimed in my copendingapplication of even date herewith for Building structure. However I want it understood that I imply no limitation thereby, and that my invention may be applied to the casting of any type of concrete walls.

It is the general purpose of my invention to provide. an apparatus for casting concrete walls in a horizontal position and then swinging the same to an upright position.

A more, specific object is to provide such an apparatus which is particularly simple, economical, and efllcient.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus wherein no power means are required to swing the wall upright.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus whereby the wall, when in its horizontal posi tion, does not overhang the vertical plane to which it is to be swung.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus wherein the swinging motion of the wall to its vertical position is under firm control and cannot acquire an objectionable speed.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus which permits of bringing the wall to its final position in a single swinging motion.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus for casting a wall and a section of roof together.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus wherein all the structural elements, including the forms, are reusable.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus whereby the stripping of the forms from the finished Wall is practically instantaneous and automatic.

Astill further object is to provide such an apparatus whereby no power means are required to return the concrete forms and the structure supporting the same to a horizontal position.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus whereby the return motion of the forms and the structure supporting the same to the horizontal is under firm control and cannot ac quire an objectionable speed.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus which is disassemblable into individual spans for easy movement.

Other related and ancillary objects of my invention will clearly appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the method according to my invention, showing the casting apparatus and the wall in solid lines in the casting position andin broken lines in the final upright position. i

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a casting apparatus according to my invention shown in the horizontal position with the concrete poured therein, the concrete and the form being partially broken away to show the underlying supporting.

Fig. is a vertical section showing the wall in its final vertical position and the casting apparatus in its return swing to the horizontal position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified apparatus suitable for casting a top section of wall solid with a roof section.

In the following description and claims, the word Wall. is to ,be construedv as including aportion or section of walL'no matter how limited laterally or vertically. The word concrete when applied not to the fluid material but to a struc-. ture, is intended to include the reinforcement, if any.

walls comprises the following steps. First, a rocker frame it is provided, by which is meant a supporting frame of any suitable-construction,

the top of which may have any convenient profile.

or shape, and the bottom of which has a portion Ilherein designated as the front portion-substantially shaped like an arc of' circle subtending an" angle of somewhat less than 90(in the-embodinient illustrated about 88) or having any other suitable curved convex shape. The frame may rock, if actuated, and swing substantially from-ahorizonta1 position (shown-in'f'ull lines in Fig. 1) to a vertical position (shown therein in broken lines). In this motion, the arc of circle or other curve :of its bottom 'front portion Ii rollingly developes on" the flat horizontal surface I2 which in fact will usuallybe a surface of concrete; previously cast and-set and has been'thus indicated in the drawings. No connection or engagement is "needed or "contemplated .in my method between the bottomof the rocker frame and-saidhorizontal surface l2; other than a rolling frictional engagement. The center C'Of the circle .to which: are are of circle H, if it is an arc of" circle, belongs, will be designated hereinas the center of rotation. "It is' theonly' point of the frame which describes a horizontal'line, going from C to C (Fig. has the frame swingsfrom the horizontal to the vertical position. All other points, obviously, described "epicycloidal arcs. The perimeter'of the arc i2 is equal to-the-segment AB.

One preferred embodiment of a rocker frame I0 is shownindetail-in Figs. .2, 3,-and 4. ,Sucha frame embodies a number of ilongitudinal 'or rocker trusses i3 and a number oftransverse trusses l4 whichmigidly' interconnect the longitudinal trusses P3. In thedrawings there has been illustrated, a frame comprisingaminimum number of rockerv trusses 1 3,.namely two. Such an elementary frame 'may' be designated as an individual rocker span, and several rocker spanscan be connected, disassemblablyif so desired, by meansof transverse trusses M to form a complete or multiple rocker frame fora complete Wall. In practice, whena certain type. of constructionisto be erected aconsiderable number of times,'as in the case of the building structure 'describedand claimed, in my aforementioned copending application, a number of individual rocker spans are built which are so dimensioned that by assembling part or all of them in various ways, differentcompleterockerframes can be provided for casting all the walls and partitions embodied-in the-construction in question. By disassembling the multiple rocker frames into individual rocker spans a greater mobility, isalso gained, as the frames: themselves are usually of suchdimensions and weight that they would be extremely hard to move aboutcn the job. -It isto be understood however that'the .,.expression rocker frame as used in this description and in the appended claims, is intended to include both individual rocker spans and multiple frames.

Each rocker truss l3 has a rectangular portion l5, which is uppermost when the frame is vertical as seen in Fig. 1 and which will be called aterconne-cted in a rigid manner.

Upon the rocker frame there is attached a sectional-formfor the pouring of the concrete, which Essentially, my method for casting concrete =consists of elements open on top herein designated aspans.

'frame on the one hand and to the concrete on the other in a manner to permit assembly and disassefn-b'ly ofthepans--with---respect"to the rocker frame and-stripping-of the pans from the concrete once this latter has hardened and has, been brought to" its vertical position. To this end, within the pans there are-"positioned female. tie elements; -Male tie elements corresponding thereto "are passed throughsuitable openings in the rockenfr-amean-d in the'pans and are en a ed to the femaleelem-ent's in' such amanneras to be removabie from the outside of thegp'ans. 'An..example of such ties is ;furnished by. internally threaded sleeves and bolts engaging'said sleeves, said bolts having their headson. the outside of the pans andtherefore accessible at, all times for removal. The ties 'mustbe sturdy enough to bind the-concrete tothe pans and rocker, frame, onceit has hardened,'-andto maintain the same. in place during thG'SW'iHgiHgTmOtiDII of. the frame- A preferred manner of mounting the ties is illustrated in detail in :Fig. *3. -In said figure, I i" designates "one of the top elements of :the transverse trusses l4, in the case illustrated; a channel piece,--on which there. is superimposed a pan- I6 7 This; pan has a central deepest portion ldprovidinga rib'for the wall; and two shallower portions"-l 9- at 'each'side-th-ereof. The pan is twice bent at right angles at' each", side' thereof toprovide wings 24" running-from'front .to rear and bearing on thetopelements such as H. A

' number-of-female' ties 20 are positionedvertiand-arrangementof suchfemale ties 20 is a matter ofjudicious choice. The bottom pan i 6 and" the channel I! have registering; holes2ly'22 to'pe-rmitof the-passage therethrough of a male tie element 23' adapted threadingly to engage the female element "20. 'Male' elementifl and female'element 20 couldbepfanypreferred structure, though in practice I have found that it 'is convenient to employ devices known inthe trade for" providing tie locking" assemblies.

These consist of two sections of tightly'wound wire, interconnected by straight longitudinal portions, 1 and "male --elemen-ts suitably threaded to engagesaid sections. When a male threaded element is passed through the bores "2|, 22 from he bottom to engage the bottomfemaie section, the pans l6 are rigi-dly connected to the channels l1. After-the-crmcrete has hardened, the female elements 2|] remain embedded therein, and thus tie the concrete'to the pans Hand to the rocker'frame l0. After the wallhasbecn swung to its final vertical position, the male elements 23 are unscrewed and removed, the female elements 20 remain embedded in the concrete, and the rocker frame, pans, and concrete walls are no longer connected. V

A set of secondary ties hereafter called clips is preferably provided between the outside of the pans l6 and the rocker frame I ll. Such clips are completely clear of the concrete and only bind the pans to the frame. They need be only strong enough to overcome the adhesion between the pans and the concrete during the stripping of the former from the latter, as will be set forth hereinafter. A preferred embodiment of such clips and a preferred way of applying them is illustrated in Fig. 4. Clips or tongues 25, suitably bent, or any other similar elements, are attached, for instance by welding to the bottom of the wings 24 of the pans IE or other pans and/or to other parts of the pans, if any, at the same level, and form therewithrecesses engaging the top elements ll of the transverse trusses M. The point of attachment of the clips 25 to the pans is behind the elements IT, so that when the rocker frame i0 is vertical, gravity maintains the clips in engagement with said elements ll. Thus, even after the bolts 23 have been removed and the concrete is not connected to the pans, these latter are still attached to the rocker frame It].

The particular wall I have chosen to illustrate has a lower part (the front part when the rocker frame It] is horizontal) which is flat on both faces and an upper part which is longitudinally recessed to provide vertical ribs. Accordingly pans iii of the shape illustrated in Fig. 3 are used only to the rear of the rocker frame to define said upper ribbed part of the wall. For the bottom part of the wall pans 26 are used, which are illustrated in the forward .portion of Fig. 2, and which are fiat having no portion comparable to the portion [8. These pans have wings 21 sirni lar to the wings 24 of the pans l6, and are mounted and connected in the same manner as the pans [6. They are. also attached to the top elements of the transverse trusses which as a matter of design may be at a level different from that of the elements supporting the pans l6.

To complete the form there are provided a front plate 3.3, a rear plate 28, and two side plates 30, suitably bolted or otherwise detachably connected to the rocker frame [9.

The rocker frame is so proportioned, this being a matter of design only, that with the pans attached thereto its center of gravity is behind the center of rotation, that is it falls in the portion of the frame that has a substantially flat bottom. In this fashion the rocker frame normally rests on any flat surface in a horizontal position. However, the rocker frame is also so proportioned that the combined center of gravity of the frame itself, the pans, and the concrete when poured therein falls forwardly of the center of rotation, that is it overlies the circular; bottom portion of the frame, so that the whole assembly with the concrete is unbalanced and tends to swing to the vertical, the curve I l plus the form and thickness of the concrete subtend substantially 90.

Means are provided to prevent the frame from swinging to the vertical position until it is deliberately released. Such means could be simple stops or blocks of any nature, but usually a rigging such as a block and tackle is preferred, as a rigging can be loosened slowly to guide the frame during its upward swing. Such a rigging is illustrated generally at 3| in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 6, but has been omitted from the remaining figures to, avoid complicating them. ,A guiding action is not generally necessary, as the lever arm of the frame-pans-concrete assembly can be determined as a matter of judicious design, and can be made small enough in every case to prevent objectionable. excessive acceleration of the assembly in the upward swing. However the use of a rigging avoids close figuring and is preferable. i

The next steps consist in placing the reinforcement, ties, etc., pouring the concrete, tamping, leveling and finishing it with the usual technique of slab casting, and allowing it to set. The female ties aforementioned remain embedded in the concrete, and bind it firmly to the pans and rocker frame. Then the stops are removed, or the rigging is loosened, and the whole assembly is allowed to swing into a vertical position. Now the male ties are disengaged from the female ties and removed from the outside. Thus the hardened concrete wall is no longer bound to the rocker frame, and is bound to the pans only through surface adhesion. The rocker frame and the pans however are still connected by the aforementioned clips. Now the rocker frame, the center of gravity of which in the vertical position is above the center of rotation, is in unstable equilibrium, and tends to swing back to the horizontal. It is obstructed in so doing by the adhesion betweenthe pans and the concrete. Therefore if the frame is suitably proportioned, that is if its center of gravity is sufficiently offset from the center of rotation, the frame will swing downwardly and in so doing will strip the pans from the concrete. Frameand pans then will be avail able immediately for casting another wall; Should however the stripping action not occur; as may conceivably happen in some exceptional cases, it will suflice to remove the clips, whereupon the frame alone will swing to the horizontal and the pans will be left clinging to the wall, to be stripped therefrom individualy in the usual manner.

In view of the great weight of the frame,'it is often desirable to provide control and brake means preventing the frame from acquiring an excessive speed in its downward swing. These means could be in the form of an appropriate rigging. A preferred embodiment is that illustrated in Fig. 5. Therein an arm 32 is pivoted at 33 to the frame I 0, and has a foot 34 embodying aslide, as shown, or a roller. As the frame 10 swings downwardly, the angle between said arm 32 and said frame increases. Said angle is con trolled by a cable 35 or the like attachedto the arm .32 at 36, passing over a pulley 37 attached to the frame l0, and being controlled at the other end 38. The cable 35 is paid out slowly'enough to maintain the pivotal motion of the arm 32 about 33, and hence thedownward swing of theframe l 0, within the speed limits desired.

The operations which take place subsequently, after the wall has been placed in its final position, to tie the wall tothe rest of the building, form no part of my present invention, and therefore need notbe described herein. An example of a building structure, embodying walls that can be con veniently cast in the manner herein described is given in my aforementioned copending application. It is. tobe emphasized that walls can be cast by means of this invention which do not embody a flat and a ribbed portion. Also that other wherein the means for removably connecting the frame to the concrete comprise tie elements so located in said form as to become embedded in the concrete poured therein, and means for removably connecting said frame to said tie elements.

6. An apparatus of the character described for pouring concrete walls according to claim 4, wherein the means for removably connecting the frame to the concrete comprise female screw elements positioned in the form so as to become embedded in the concrete when this latter is poured therein, and male screw elements passing through registering openings in said frame and form to engage said female elements, thereby clamping said frame, form and concrete together.

7. An apparatus of the character described for pouring concrete walls according to claim 4, wherein separate means are provided for removably connecting the form directly to the frame.

8. An apparatus of the character described for casting concrete walls, comprising a flat bottomed portion extending along substantially the greatest part of its length and an end frame having a portion shaped like a curved sector, a form supported thereby for pouring a concrete wall in a horizontal position, the gravitational load on said frame when said form is filled with concrete being so distributed as to urge said frame to swing along the curved sector thereof to a vertical position, means for maintaining said frame horizontal until the concrete poured in said frame has hardened, and means for controlling the swing of said frame to a vertical position to maintain the speed of the same within desired limits.

9. An apparatus of the character described for casting concrete walls, comprising a frame having a bottom consisting of a fiat portion and a rounded portion, the center of gravity of said frame falling above said flat portion whereby said frame is normally stable in a horizontal position; a form supported by said frame for pouring a concrete wall in a horizontal position, the combined center of gravity of said frame and the load supported thereby when said form is filled with concrete falling above said rounded portion of the frame bottom; means for removably connecting said frame to the concrete, whereby when said means are operative said frame together with said form and wall tends to swing along the rounded portion thereof as a body to a vertical position; and thereafter when said means are rendered inoperative said frame tends to swing back to its horizontal position; means for maintaining said frame horizontal until the concrete has hardened; and means for controlling the swing of the frame from its vertical back to its horizontal position to maintain the speed of the same within desired limits.

10. An apparatus of the character described for casting concrete walls, comprising a rockable frame; a sectional form supported by said frame for pouring a concrete wall in a horizontal position; said frame having a base consisting of a flat portion and a rounded portion and adapted to rock along the rounded portion thereof, said frame with said form being stable in a horizontal plane said frame with said form and wall being stable in a vertical position and assuming the same by gravity unless restrained; said form embodying pans defining one face of the wall, and plates defining the top, bottom, and edges of the wall, the other face of the wall being an open horizontal surface when the wall is being cast; and means for attaching said pans and plates to said frame.

11. An apparatus of the character described for casting concrete walls comprising a rockable frame; a form for pouring a concrete wall in a horizontal position; mean for removably connecting said frame to the concrete, said frame embodying a number of parallel trusses each having a fiat-bottomed rear portion and a forward portion shaped substantially like an arm of a sector, circular sector and a number of transverse elements rigidly and dismountably connecting said trusses, whereby said frame is rockable between a horizontal and a vertical position by swinging about the centers of said circular sectors of the trusses embodied in said frame, the combined center of gravity of said frame with the form it supports being positioned behind said sector centers and shifting when said form is filled with concrete to a position forwardly enough of said sector center to swing said frame thereabout to a vertical position, unless restrained; means for maintaining said frame horizontal until the concrete has set; said form embodying pans defining one face of the wall and plates defining the top, bottom, and edges of the wall; means for removably attaching said pans and plates directly to elements of said frame; means for controlling the swing of said frame from a horizontal to a vertical position to contain the speed thereof within desired limits; said frame when in its vertical position and when detached from the concrete swinging back to its horizontal position; and means for controlling such back-swing to contain the speed thereof within desired limits.

CHARLES TYROLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,035,826 Baltzer Aug. 13, 1912 1,457,684 Aiken June 5, 1923 1,773,454 Fowler Aug. 19, 1930 1,796,476 Pedersen Mar. 17, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,893 Great Britain June 1, 1912 

